What Don’t Unbelievers Get About Math?
First, an admission: I stink at math. Marcy has to do the checkbook and does great with our finances (we have no debt or depreciating loans). But that’s because she gets math. Though I’m mathmatically challenged, I at least know that I am because I understand some mathematical absolutes. And I don’t argue with them.
Having said that, I recently got baited into a discussion/argument with a couple of reader-friends over what they perceive as judgmentalism, intolerance, and forcing my views on readers. This discussion came as a result of them reading a recent blog post which got more hits than any post I’ve ever written.
Their biggest question (gripe) was, “Why are Christians so pushy and dogmatic about God’s standards?”
What many people (especially unbelievers) fail to understand is that for devout, serious, Spirit-born followers of Jesus, God’s standards are absolute. When God says that something opposes his values and is bad for people because it will harm them, then that’s it! That’s the last word. God gets that last word with serious followers of Christ because he’s God, we’re not. Our opinion is immaterial. God has spoken . . . period!
So, I was thinking and wondering . . . how can I make this crystal clear in a way that even a person who shuts off the moment you challenge their “opinion” can recognize, that sometimes our opinion–no matter how much we’re entitled to it and in love with it–is simply WRONG?
What’s even more amazing is the line of reasoning that an unbeliever follows when you challenge his/her “opinion” with God’s absolute. If people are shown his Word, they say either that men wrote the Bible (as though that should disqualify it) or they say that they don’t believe in God.
MEN WROTE THE BIBLE?
Of course men wrote the Bible. Biblical scholars and educated beleivers alike would never dispute that. What they would dispute is the implication that because men wrote it, they made it up. This is an absurd line of reasoning for many reasons but scholars more astute than me have established divine biblical inspiration far better than I could. And any intellectually honest person can read their work if they are genuinely interested in how the Bible came from the Holy Spirit through its human agents as God gave them utterance. But back to my point.
Then it came to me. I know . . . Teachers and students alike will get this . . .
MATH CLASS
You’re a math teacher and are conducting a class on Addition.
You tell the students 2+2=4. But two or three of your students don’t agree. They say that 2+2=7. You tell them gently that they’re mistaken.
They take offense and tell you that your answer is your opinion. But in their opinion, 7 is the answer. Because you’re well versed in math, you explain to them that math has absolutes. And you gently assure them that 2+2 will always equal 4 whether they agree on it or not.
They still insist that though you may know more math than they do, they’re not going to allow you to shove your intolerant opinions about addition down their throats. They now take a different tact. No longer do they remain with the 2+2 point.
“Well, that math book was man-made. It is a book written by men.”
“Yes, that’s true,” you say, “but the principles in it are established absolutes just like the law of gravity.” What they’re describing faithfully are the foundations and principles of Math.
Now they’re really going to push you into the corner. “Well, we don’t believe that Math exists. We’re amatheists! We don’t believe in your Math or its principles or your judgmental, intollerant views. We believe in love. And love would never tell us that 2+2 has to be 4 and can’t be 7.” What do you do now?
DEPARTING FROM REALITY
There’s really no arguing. You have to give them an “F” and let them live their lives believing that 2+2=7. Now a bunch of them gang up on you for being unjust to those who received “F”. They harange you and call you a mathematical bigot. You’re intolerant. You’re a 7-phobic. What makes your opinion superior to theirs?
Of course this analogy falls apart at the end, because what they believe about math, only affects their grade in school, not their immortal souls. But what would happen if their eternal destiny was settled by the stubborn insistence upon their error? What would you do? How would you respond if you knew that they would be eternally lost if they held to their mistaken opinions? Would you write them off and say “Hey, they’ve made their choices. Let em face the consequences.
BRING THEM TO THEIR SENSES
Most likely, if you were a compassionate, loving teacher, you would try to convince (not force) them. You might cite all kinds of people and authorities to try to bring them to their senses to escape the lie they have embraced as their firm opinion. You would provide them with expert testimony and scholarship. The problem is that they wouldn’t care. They have made up their minds based upon their opinions (and of course they got those opinions from others with the same misinformed, unexamined opinions).
THE PROBLEM WITH OPINIONS
G.K. Chesterton once said, “An opinion lacking in knowledge is an ugly thing.” It destroys truth. It undermines reality. An uniformed opinion is the devil’s delight, especially where souls are involved.
In our culture, opinion reigns when it comes to God and spiritual matters. With regard to morality and spiritual reality, unbelievers don’t want the facts to cloud their right to believe any fantasy that appeals to their imaginations. Yet, we would never base our destiny on a stubbornly held opinion when it came to other matters of living.
DON’T TRUST YOUR OPINION, GET THE FACTS!
What if a bridge under construction was blatantly unsafe? Signs warn motorists to proceed no further. But a driver–insistent upon her own opinion–decides to cross. What would people say when her car plunges into the depths of the river below?
How far should we trust our own opinions?
Another scenario: What about the patient, who’s scheduled for a brain operation and decides that in his opinion what his doctor proposes is not in agreement with his opinion as a patient. The surgeon insists that she needs to operate on the patient’s left side to affect his motor functions on the right side of his body; but, he insists that if the problem is on the right side of his body, then it only makes sense that she should operate on the right side of his brain. Seems resonable right? No matter how much the patient insists upon the validity of his reasons and his “opinion,” this man is dead wrong. His opinion means nothing, though he’s entitled to hold it dogmatically. It won’t change the reality for his surgeon (fortunate for him.) She will not be convinced by her patient’s stubborn insistence upon his own limited views of anatomy and physiology. She will perform the operation as she has been trained in her knowledge of the human body. The patient’s only choice is to proceed with the operation or not.
You get what I’m concerned about? When it comes to universal principles, opinions are meaningless and only get in the way of the greater good–God’s Kingdom and His reality which includes our joy, peace, and eternal destiny.
Now you can insist that Math doesn’t exist and close your eyes, stop up your ears, jump up and down and cry, but Math exists. And math will not bend its principles for you, me or anyone else–regardless of our cherished opinions.
DON’T BLAME THE MAILMAN
In my post I shared God’s view. It’s not my view. It’s GOD’s view. The believer or disciple who delivers God’s Word is just the mailman who delivered the letter. Don’t whack him because you don’t like what’s in the letter.
The problem with the unbeliever is solved by God. He has already told us why they don’t and CAN’T get it. He says:
1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV)
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
This is where our prayers come in. All that we can do is gently share the truth with them that may be set free and to see that 2+2 really does equal 4. God really does have absolutes that include or exclude us from his marvelous Kingdom:
2 Timothy 2:24–26 (NIV)
24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
It’s really a matter of humility. As long as they remain in pride, they are captive to a spiritual entity that will not let them see the truth. Only when they respond to the truth with humility and let go of their opinions will God “grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth” that will bring them to “their senses.”
What’s frustrating is when you know their time for “getting it” is short. That makes us more insistent because of our love for them. And that makes them more intolerant with us because they think that we’re forcing our values and reality on them or patronizing them. Lord, remove the veil. Grant the the grace you granted us when we were 7′ers ourselves.
QUESTION: Have you run into this stubborn insistence upon a person’s culturally informed opinion?
Traditional Marriage: Hate Crime of Dan Cathy and Chick-fil-A?
I didn’t intend to write this post, until I came across Todd Starnes’s commentary “Philadelphia to Consider Resolution Condemning Chick-fil-A, which I quote below.
No sooner had I made what I believe to be prophetic statements about God’s judgment upon our nation, than the rabid homosexual advocates launched their vicious attack on–of all things–a fast food restaurant chain because of the owners’ personal religious and moral beliefs.
Is he advocating immorality [as his opponents are]? NO!
Had this man poisoned someone’s food? NO!
Had he told homosexuals that they could not eat in his stores? NEVER!! [He actually provides jobs for them.] The Chick-fil-A’s have an antidiscrimination policy.
Not so the cities of Philadelphia, San Francisco, or Chicago. No . . . they blatantly, publicly and unashamedly discriminate and their elected officials use their political positions of leadership to censor and pour out “hate” toward a Christian, family-owned business because its CEO and chain owners believe in the biblical view of marriage.
SO what had #ChickFilA COO, Dan Cathy, done to rile up these city leaders? He simply restated the teaching of the Holy Bible, the Word of God, that God’s intent was that marriage be between one man and one woman for life. WOW!! Cathy went that far? To think that marriage is between a man and a woman? What a hateful, sick individual! Of all things to believe . . . where would he ever have gotten such a twisted idea? Marriage between a man and a woman? Come on, how far can we let such archaic views be tolerated. We should use our political power and vitriol to silence the God who created marriage and all his followers who espouse his views?
As the Scripture says of the origins of homosexuality in Romans 1:18–32 (ESV)
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Though we love these fallen people, why would we support their darkened behavior, the behavior of a debased mind and heart? No, we should speak truthfully to support what is right and true.
Cathy and those like him (including me and millions of Americans who have the courage to stand with our God and His Word) are being mocked, ignored, or silenced. This would not be such a blow to our nation if it did not signal a greater horror. A nation that turns its back on God is a nation doomed to live out its own sickness and force its disease upon all free people everywhere. I don’t want the government or special interest groups bent on wickedness telling me that I can’t sell chicken in their city limits because I don’t hold their twisted, demonic views of men marrying men and women marrying women.
As the Holy Spirit makes clear, homosexuality is the final perversion of a society–a people who have turned from God. Down through history, this decadence preceded the downfall of the nation which accepted it as “normal” behavior. The best known examples include Sodom & Gomorrah and Rome. Homosexuality is a spiritual and moral cancer infecting our nation and the world. God will not let it continue for long. One way or the other, the sick patient will die–either of the disease or of God’s judgment on the disease. And yes, AIDS did begin to show itself in the west in the homosexual community first. Don’t let all the white-washes and purges of history by homosexual groups and their vicious advocates fool you.
Now cities like San Francisco (surprise) and Chicago (who could have guessed, Obama’s home town) have blasted the company and threatened Chick-fil-A’s expansion there. All this because the owner supports a biblical definition of marriage–traditional marriage. From Todd Starnes’ commentary:
The Philadelphia City Council will consider a resolution condemning Chick-fil-A for what one city leader called “anti-American” attitudes that promote “hatred, bigotry and discrimination.”
City Councilman Jim Kenney sent a letter to Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy telling him to “take a hike and take your intolerance with you.”. . . [who's intolerant?]
Kenney said individuals who do not support gay marriage should understand there are consequences to their belief. [and to his wickedness]
“If he [Dan Cathy] really, truly believes what he believes, that is his right to do so,” he told Fox News. “But there is often a price to pay for that.” [now in America, there's a price to pay for believing that marriage is sacred before God, and that HE defines marriage, not people]
Mike Huckabee has launched a nationwide effort to show support for the besieged family-owned company – declaring August 1st as “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.”
Pasted from <http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/philadelphia-to-consider-resolution-condemning-chick-fil-a.html>
So what’s wrong with a guy like Jim Kenney? See what God says is wrong:
Romans 1:28 (ESV)
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
What will it take to demonstrate to this nation’s infected leaders that THEY are the ones leading us to our demise (unless that’s their intent–don’t think that this is out of the realm of possibility). I have lived to see things that I would have never dreamed possible in the United States of American. People who have come form somewhere in outer space as far as their values and rejection of God.
I agree with Michelle Malkin:
“When an elected public official wields the club of government against a Christian business in the name of ‘tolerance,’ it’s not harmless kid stuff,” she wrote. “It’s chilling.” –quoted in Starnes’s commentary.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO?
I propose that we send a message to Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, and any other city or political body that holds to demonic teaching rather than the clear instruction of our God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. I call upon the citizens and churches, ministries,synagogues, and mosques of those cities who hold to a moral universe, cared for by a loving and holy God, to rise up and teach these politicians that they do not speak for the majority of mentally and spiritually healthy citizens.
I certainly don’t want the dictatorial, decadent and perverse thoughts of people like Jim Kenney and his ilk and whole cities who revel in their disgrace and sin to infect more of our nation with this demonic doctrine. The last days of our existence will be characterized by the increase of this kind of persons:
1 Timothy 4:1–2 (ESV)
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared . . .
They have seared their consciences and no longer know the difference between right and wrong. Can they be saved? With great difficulty, but I’m not sure because of this passage:
2 Thessalonians 2:9–12 (ESV)
9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
We should pity such persons, but be sure we don’t agree with or support their doomed worldview.
WHAT SHOULD WE DO?
At the least, we should join with Mike Huckabee and his nationwide audience to show support for Dan Cathy and the “besieged family-owned company” on August 1st as we eat at the nearest #ChickFilA restaurant, even if we have to drive some distance to get there (I’ll be driving nearly an hour to get to the closest one to me). I’ve never eaten there, but I sure intend to now. That’s the ONE thing I suppose I can thank Jim Kenney for.
We can also pray that the Lord will grant us grace to survive the increasing wickedness and darkness as the American empire implodes and disintegrates.
Related articles
- Chick-fil-A beef puts mayor in pressure cooker (bostonherald.com)
- Personal Opinion: In Danger of Distinction? (marcyda.wordpress.com)
- TODD STARNES: Chicago Chick-fil-A owner under fire for gay marriage stand tells Rahm, ‘eat more chicken’ – Supporters rally as cities ban Chick-fil-A- Hollywood unleashes vulgar rants about Chick-fil-A (radio.foxnews.com)
- Councilman Blasts Chick-Fil-A Prez For Comments Against Gay Marriage (philadelphia.cbslocal.com)
- Chicago Wants to Ban Chick-fil-A (radio.foxnews.com)
- Chicago’s Unconstitutional Attack on Chick-fil-A – Bloomberg (bloomberg.com)
- Christians Say Chick-fil-A Under Siege by Militant Gays (radio.foxnews.com)
- Chick-fil-A: if you’re not sure, this is how fascism works (patheos.com)
ABC’s Islamophobia
Want a real news story. Go back through the video archives of ABC World News. See how many stories involving negative portrayals of Evangelical Christians were reported using the term “Evangelical Christian.”
Compare that to how many stories about islamic terrorism use the terms “Muslim” or “Islam” or “jihad”? Even though a group that DEFINES ITSELF and ITS OWN AGENDA by its mission to put an end to America gets a free pass in the nightly news. Honestly, have you ever seen their investigative reporters dig into CAIR or any of the other score of “front” groups for Hammas and Hesbolah? They wouldn’t dare to. They apparently had no need to be concerned about the sensitivities of tens of thousands of Christians in this country but are so afraid of Islam, that they won’t mention its name in stories that have their birth in Islams worldview.
In other words, ABC reports on terrorist stories in one way (politically correct, tolerantly), and they report on Christian issues without any qualms regarding fairness? Why aren’t they equally “sensitive” to all religious groups? I know the answer. But are they willing to find out?
I’d love to see a new NEWS media. One that reports the truth. One that doesn’t pull any punches. One that tells it like it is. One that digs and reports whatever it finds. One that doesn’t cater to any political, ethnic, or religious faction. How refreshing would that be.
Honestly now . . . has ANYONE EVER seen more than ONE story on the severe persecution of Christians in the Sudan or in Saudi Arabia? Has anyone cared to look into the burning of churches in many Muslim nations? NO? Why not? Why the silence? I noticed MANY stories on Human Rights violatoins of Gay People, Women, African Americans, and almost any other group. But you won’t find many on the treatment of Christians, Gays, Women in Muslim nations.
Someone could argue, well ABC wants to focus on American news. Then remove the title WORLD NEWS.
What we need are a few men and women who can’t be bought, sold, intimidated or otherwise co-opted by any particular faction or ideology. It doesn’t mean that these people can’t have values or opinions, they just need to be honest and straight forward even about their own biases.
Let’s speak honestly . . . Though I watch nightly news and appreciate their overall coverage and human interest stories, ABC does not seem interested in offending its ideological base. Therefore we can’t expect honest, objective, tell it like it is, REAL NEWS when it comes to religion!
Related articles
- Persecution (davidscommonplacebook.wordpress.com)
- Franklin Graham Denounces Death Sentence for Iranian Christian Pastor (davidcalves.com)
- -Have Muslim-Christian Relations Improved Since 9/11/01? Well… (answersforthefaith.com)
Sad American
I have a house, but I feel homeless. Not only because I’m a pilgrim in this temporal world. Not only because my real home is the “home of righteousness.” But my nation is homeless. A home is where love and common history and values create an integrity of character that is modeled and passed down from generation to generation.
I am a sad American. A thief has broken in and robbed and destroyed our sense of family, of HOME-land. Since the 1960′s, I watched the rapid decline of my country. The values that made our nation great, the values that bring countless thousands from other nations to settle here, have been abandoned by our people and our leaders [I'm no longer a supporter of parties--Democrat or Republican, let's deal with that right up front.
I'm not happy in any political party nor with any recent candidate [No, I'm not a religious kook either. I passed the MMPI--Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory--though I don't think Jesus or the Apostle Paul would have--they heard the Voice more often than me]. Besides, I despise religion (not religious people). But that’s for another post.]
The nation’s decline is most clearly reflected in the behavior of our public officials who cater to the party spirit. I think I’d prefer to elect a statesman or a stateswoman, who truly cared about the nation, the people, and God’s values. But I fear that will not happen in my lifetime unless Jesus comes back first.
What are my political views? I’m an Ambassador of the Kingdom of the living God. The government I serve is not from this dimension (though it impacts this dimension). My Father appointed me to go where He sends me. To speak what I hear. My loyalty is to Him and His Kingdom. My life purpose is to seek His sons (no this does not exclude women, it lifts them higher than secular feminism ever could). I would not step down from my high calling to be in political office–that’s Caesar’s realm. I used to be an Independent, but I do not see much future for political parties in our nation as long as they continue on their current path downward. Libertarianism is often a guise for putting people under bondage or–at the other extreme–lawlessness. And those of you who are “Christians” [I don't use the term any longer. It has no meaning), you are as big a part of the problem as the political parties. You too have abandoned truth to chase after human solutions. (Please don't quote 2 Chron. 7.14 either, (I know it by heart!) because more of you are called by the name Republican or Tea Party than by the name of Yahweh .
Isn't anyone tired of the Anthony Weiners, Bill Clintons, John Edwards, Arnold Schwarzeneggers, and others? They lie, cover up, strut unashamed before cameras, and redefine their willfully sinful behavior calling it a "mistake?" Have you ever noticed their use of the word "mistake?" I made a "mistake?" For clarity on the definition of "mistake" versus "sin," see publisher Michael Hyatt's excellent post "The Difference Between a Mistake and a Sin"
Almost as troubling as those who lack moral values are those who support and defend liars, cheats, and frauds. What kind of person can trust an Arnold S? or a John Edwards. These are men who "take responsibility" only when their deliberate lies to their spouses, the press, and the American public are uncovered. For them, taking responsibility is really doublespeak--meaningless. They take responsibility for getting caught? And what will be their restitution? NOTHING! Weiner's statements make it clear that he still doesn't really think he did anything wrong. He just made the "mistake" of not being more careful in his deceit. So he doesn't see any reason that he should forfeit his role as a representative of the people. His wife did the right thing not standing with him in public. She knows that he apparently recognizes no wrong doing. He is not the only one. Most of these men are blatantly "above responsibility."
Perhaps their power assures them that they are above the rules and can operate outside morality with impunity. Their constituents foster this attitude. I remember a guy named Curly, in Massachusetts many decades ago, who was repeatedly reelected, even from jail.
As events play out, we'll get to see the true character of the New Yorkers Weiner represents. Will they affirm his lack of integrity? Or will they send him and future leaders a message that hypocrisy, cover up, and lying are not the example they want set for their children. Nor should we want the kind of world that compartmentalizes morality and character. In time, whatever someone is in secret will show itself publicly.
Lack of integrity used to be called hypocrisy. Immoral leaders don't see a problem. They're confused by accountability and integrity. They want to continue in office. They actually expect someone to trust them. Sadly, many will. Who are these people that don't care that Edwards lied to his wife? They don't care that Weiner has betrayed the public trust? Who are these people? How can they compartmentalize like that.
People who are ready to overlook lying, cheating, embezzlement, extortion, manipulation, etc. are equally a part of the problem. I'm sure that they can't imagine that some of their neighbors actually have character. Some people actually walk in integrity. One source says that integrity "regards internal consistency as a virtue." Integrity means acting consistently in every arena with the values one CLAIMS to hold. For the American people, these values have ALWAYS included honesty, fairness, compassion, faithfulness, and personal accountability.
I'm less afraid of terrorism than I am of our loss of integrity!
I am more concerned over what our nation is becoming as a result of this loss. When I watch the news, I see the issues that face us. I also know history. We cannot escape the inevitable. Our nation has lost its moral compass. God has been declared irrelevant. This abandonment of the God and Father of Jesus is the indictment that will convict us in the courtroom of history.
Long after republicans and democrats no longer exist and a foreign enemy has occupied the United States of America because of our immorality and sinful choices, our children will shake their heads in disbelief that a people, who had been so blessed of God could have been so ungrateful and blind.
You have to be a student of history, theology, and values to recognize just how far our nation has declined. We are a nation adrift. We are a people perplexed and manipulated by all political parties and the media. We have no cannon by which to measure truth. No set of common or shared values that we can agree upon. We don't even believe in objective truth any longer. In our pluralistic, politically correct, tolerant (except for people of faith) culture, opinion rules.
I'll NEVER forget the wise words of G. K. Chesterton: "An opinion lacking in knowledge is an ugly thing." I've heard so much stupidity from so many self-appointed experts on all sides. I have begun to believe that no health or healing can come to our nation because, like Pontius Pilate, we no longer clearly recognize truth when it stands before us, so we pass the responsibility on to others.
I've known men whose word was their bond. They wouldn't lie come hell or high water. If you called them a liar, they'd punch you in the nose. Are those kind of people--people with integrity--so rare that no one expects integrity anymore?
I was told (don't know if it's true) that one of the more recent dictionaries does not have the word "integrity" in it. WOW!! I never thought I'd live to see the day! No need to even include or define integrity. But should I be surprised?
Millions could care less about cheating in private life. But if men and women cheat in private, why wouldn't they cheat the public? How can anyone trust bold-faced liars.
HONESTLY: Would you entrust your children to be cared for at a day care by a parent who only harms her own children in private? Would you reason that what she does in her own private life is her business? Would you advocate that she is qualified to take care of your child in a public day care? You're in denial or naive if you would entrust your precious child to someone like that. So why would you trust public officials who privately lie to their own family members? Who deny any wrong-doing? Do you think they'll be more honest in their dealings with YOU? They serve themselves, not the American people. I'm tempted to think that many Americans do not want someone of character in office, otherwise we'd have better men and women there now. But I'm afraid there exists a silent majority who seldom speak up except in private. Unless we turn the ship around, we're going to run aground.
Well, I guess you've heard enough from me. What do you think? And please . . . pastors, don't lecture me. No I don't think I'm a judge. Nor do I condemn anyone. That ministry belongs to others. And PLEASE . . . if you comment below, don't give your systematics paper from seminary. I know systematic theology as well as you, so let's have a more genuine, heart-felt, relevant dialog. Don't defend your little kingdoms. All I'm saying is that I long to see integrity restored to public and PRIVATE life, so that we can be a great nation--perhaps greater than we've ever been. Do you agree?
©2011, David C Alves
**[The photo in this post is from iStock.com. The person portrayed is a model. and not me. The opinions stated are mine and--as far as I know--do not reflect those of the model or iStock.com]
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